Matched against one of the worst pass-protecting lines in recent NFL history, the NFC’s sacks leader had perhaps his worst performances of the season in Sunday’s 27-13 win over Arizona.

Smith’s stat line: 2 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 0 sacks.

The puny totals against a front five that allowed 58 sacks – the most since the 2006 Raiders – raised more questions about Smith’s ability to generate pressure without injured star partner Justin Smith.

In the season’s final three games, Aldon Smith didn’t have a sack, his first such drought since the first three games of his rookie year in 2011. For the majority of those 12 sack-less quarters, he wasn’t playing alongside Justin Smith, who routinely occupies two blockers and creates one-on-one opportunities.

Aldon Smith’s drop-off appears more than coincidental: In his final seven full games with Justin Smith, he had 15 of his NFC-best 19 1/2 sacks. That torrid stretch included a two-sack performance in San Francisco’s first meeting against Arizona.

On Wednesday, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh agreed Aldon Smith has suffered without the All-Pro defensive tackle who is sidelined with a partially torn triceps. However, he added that Aldon Smith was physically beat by the end of the season and will benefit from a first-round bye.

“We’ve always said, it’s a team defense kind of thing,” Harbaugh said on KNBR. “I think Aldon will benefit from some of the rest that he’ll have an opportunity to take, rest his mind, rest his body. I think watching the tape, he’s someone that can use it, that needs it.”

If Aldon Smith is spent, it makes some sense after the most taxing season of his football career. He never started more than 11 games in college and played 506 regular-season snaps last year as a pass-rushing specialist, according to Pro Football Focus.

This season, he’s played 1,025 snaps, many at presumably less than full strength. He has been on the injury report since Nov. 21 with a shoulder injury.

With that in mind, he will be assisted by a light week of work. The 49ers will practice only Thursday and Friday before resuming a typical work week Monday in preparation for a divisional-playoff game.

Of course, they hope to have Justin Smith back for that contest, which could also help re-energize their slumping star. On Wednesday, Harbaugh reiterated that he’s hopeful Justin Smith can return 27 days after he was injured in the second half of a win at New England.

“Hopeful for that, that he continues to progress like he has each week, having the strength return,” Harbaugh said.

Kicker competition: David Akers or Billy Cundiff?

Harbaugh said a decision on who will be the 49ers’ placekicker in the playoffs could be reached as soon as this week. However, he had no deadline set. The 49ers signed Cundiff on Tuesday with Akers in the midst of a prolonged slump.

“We’ll practice Thursday, Friday and then we’ll see if a decision is made after that,” Harbaugh said. “Or if it goes into Monday, Tuesday or after. But there’s no definite timeline on it.”

Asked about the unique dynamic of a two-kicker practice competition, Harbaugh said: “That is football. Football is competition. I think we’re on the right track there. It makes sense to me.”